Proposed November Ballot Measure
Essential information from the Three Mile Fire District FAQ about the proposed levy, staffing model, response times, ISO rating, and community impact.
Levy Overview
The proposed additional levy is 34.00 mills. When combined with the current 19.48 mills, the total for the district will be 53.48 mills.
This is projected to generate approximately $710,052 annually to fund six full-time Firefighter/EMT positions.
The district currently does not meet NFPA 1720 rural assembly requirements, meaning having enough people on scene within a specific timeframe, only 40% of the time.
As the community transitions from low-density to high-frequency risk in the Wildland-Urban Interface, the current volunteer-only model cannot guarantee the safety standard required for immediate fire attacks.
Volunteer Workload
The current annual workload for the department is approximately 3,124 hours. This time is currently managed by 15 active volunteers who balance these requirements alongside their full-time careers and personal lives.
Currently, these 3,124 hours are extra-curricular for volunteers. By transitioning to the professional model, these duties become the primary daily responsibility of on-clock staff.
These duties include critical equipment testing, repairs, prescribed burns, smoke detector checks, community hazard assessment, and report writing.
Approximately 1,356 hours based on 452 calls in 2025, including travel to the station, scene time, cleaning the engine, and restocking medical supplies after the call.
Approximately 1,120 hours, including 1,040 hours for standard Thursday night training and 80 hours for mandatory certification maintenance.
Approximately 410 hours for rig checks, annual testing, routine and emergency repairs, SCBA flow testing, and upkeep of small engines, hydraulic rescue tools, wildland tools, and firefighting tools.
Approximately 158 hours for annual prescribed burns focused on hazardous fuel reduction to protect residential subdivisions within the Wildland-Urban Interface.
Approximately 80 hours for Fire Safe school visits, community fire prevention education, and public relations events like local parades and station tours.
Professional staffing moves the department from a reactive volunteer model to a proactive, professionally managed public safety agency.
Training and Equipment
EMSC Pediatric Award Certification, specialized yearly pediatric training and practice, specialized pediatric equipment, and adoption of new state protocols with new medication endorsement.
The fire department and EMS division have written and implemented new protocols pertaining to call flow to help move the department forward and standardize operations. The department is actively working toward advancing its EMS system.
The department recently obtained a second auto-load gurney for patient safety, in addition to a second intraosseous drill.
Professional Staffing
Personnel follow a structured duty day dedicated to station and apparatus maintenance, community hazard assessments, smoke detector installations, school safety visits, vehicle repair, fire training, medical training, stocking EMS equipment, medical report writing, federal report writing, maintaining the Community Connect portal, responding to community interactions, and much more.
Insurance and ISO
The 34.00 mill levy costs approximately $183.60 per year for a home with a $400,000 assessed value. The improved ISO rating is projected to save that same homeowner an average of $375.00 per year on premiums.
Net Benefit: A predicted net savings of $191.40 per year for the average homeowner.
Not everyone will experience the same savings, as insurance premiums depend on several individual property factors.
The ISO Public Protection Classification measures a department's ability to suppress fires. A rating of 8, 9, or 10 indicates that insurance companies view the area as high risk because there is no guaranteed on-station staffing.
This Class 10 status for many residents results in the highest possible insurance premiums.
While the department cannot calculate specific savings for every household, lowering the overall ISO rating improves the district's safety score. Meeting and maintaining these higher standards is identified as the key to driving down individual home scores and capturing insurance savings.
Response Time
Volunteers take 12 to 14 minutes just to turn out, meaning arrive at the station and leave in the engine.
Career staff will have a projected 90-second turnout time.
This eliminates the 10 to 12 minute delay, putting an engine on scene significantly faster during the critical first few minutes of a fire or cardiac arrest.
Operations
The funds generated by the 34.00 mill levy are restricted to the personnel and operational costs outlined in the proposal. The Board of Trustees will provide oversight of the budget to ensure these funds are dedicated specifically to maintaining 24/7 professional staffing and associated life-safety programs.
Yes. The professional staff provides the guaranteed 90-second response and ensures Two-In/Two-Out safety standards are met immediately.
For major incidents like structure fires or multiple simultaneous calls, the volunteer force remains essential for operational depth. This model professionalizes the department while making volunteering more sustainable by reducing the burden of minor, frequent calls.
The primary goal of this staffing model is to improve response speeds and the clinical level of care. To balance taxpayer savings with prompt local coverage, the district plans to maintain its third-party transport contract.
Because on-duty staff cannot leave the county for extended periods on long-distance transports, the district will not provide patient transport services at this time.
On-duty staff will handle the primary response immediately. If a simultaneous call occurs, the Tiered Response system triggers a volunteer all-call.
This guarantees that the most critical gap is solved: a fully staffed engine is always on the way to the first emergency without delay.
Coverage Model
Unlike daytime-only models used in some neighboring areas, the Three Mile model provides 24/7/365 coverage.
This is described as a strategic choice because fatal structure fires and critical medical emergencies are statistically more likely to occur overnight when volunteer availability is at its lowest.
While ISO automatically assigns Class 10 to homes beyond 5 road miles, 24/7 staffing allows the department to improve its Water Tender Shuttle certification.
By proving the department can move high volumes of water to remote areas quickly with professional drivers, the department can work to lower those outlying ratings to a Class 8 or 9.
The department has also been working on hydrant program enforcement for new community subdivisions, pond and water source registration, and fire cistern and well implementation. These efforts, combined with 24/7 staffing, are described as ways to help lower the ISO rating and save the community money in insurance rates.
Timeline
Our Mission & Vision
The mission of the Three Mile Fire Department is to protect life, property, and the environment through professional emergency response, fire prevention, public education, and community service.
We are committed to serving our community with courage, integrity, and compassion while fostering teamwork, preparedness, and dedication to excellence.
Through training, leadership, and a strong commitment to those we serve, we strive to safeguard our community.
Questions About The Levy
If you have questions about the proposed mill levy, staffing request, costs, response times, or how the ballot measure affects the district, send us a message and we will follow up.
Full FAQ Document